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Old 09-11-2006, 12:07 PM
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Imaginos Imaginos is offline
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Re: Should the UK government allow genetically modified potatoe trials?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul mabbott
<snip> Concern has been expressed over an experiment which claimed to show thatsnowdrop lectins in GM potatoes had toxic effects on mice. The researcher(Dr Pusztai) at the Rowett Institute in Aberdeen claimed in August 1998
that genetically modified potato damaged rat organs and depressed their
immune system. At present there is still controversy relating to the
significance of these experiments. The Government has stated in response to Dr
Pusztai's experiment, that there are no GM potatoes on the market and
there is scientific disagreement about the validity of experiments using
lectins which are harmful in their natural state. <snip>
So, if I'm reading this right-a gene responsible for producing lectins in snowdrops, which in the snowdrop are harmful, is found to produce harmful lectins when inserted into potatoes. Surely this is no surprise? What would be surprising is if they were not harmful in potatoes.
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